Public Transport
Des Conway has over 20 years' experience in police and commercial security. He uses his additional research and commercial security experience to ensure his own and his family's safety while planning and taking holiday and business trips. Through this and his other security handbooks he is committed to helping people keep themselves and their loved ones safe, wherever they are.
Public Transport
Public transport includes using commercial public service to undertake a journey. This includes:
- Train
- Underground
- Bus
- Tram/Trolley
- Ferrv
Risk Levels
For every thousand journeys made, there are far more accidents and injuries suffered by private motorists than by public transport passengers. This means that in the UK, statistically, travelling by public transport is a hundred times safer than using your own car.
Trains
Other than terrorist attacks, the main risks associated with trains are accident. assault and theft, but these can be discussed in a variety of ways.
Terrorist attacks
It is worth remembering that public transport systems are by far the safest way to travel, even if you include the risk of terrorist attacks. Considering the number of rail journeys taken each day, the likelihood of anyone being involved in an incident is minute, even if you travel in a city targeted by terrorists.
However, this doesn’t mean that there is nothing you need to do to protect yourself. See the terrorism chapter for advice and discussion of terrorism countermeasures.
Accident
Though rail travel is heavily regulated, in recent years there have been a number of high-profile accidents and very old rolling stock is only just being phased out on some lines.
If there is a rail accident, you can be fairly sure that it will be serious. When a couple of hundred tons of train runs off the line or hits a broken rail, the tightly packed travellers inside are bound to suffer serious injury and possibly die.
Rail travellers are also susceptible to injury or death caused by train versus vehicle collisions and derailments. By the very nature of cross-country rail travel, the locations of railway accidents can often be inaccessible to emergency services, so the subsequent delay in rendering assistance usually leads to more fatalities than would have occurred if help could have got to the scene quicker and easier.
Accidents – countermeasures
Always sit down when travelling by train, and where possible sit with your back to the front of the train at the rear of the carriage at the back of the train. If the train does run into an obstruction all passengers and goods will tend to be thrown forwards as it breaks or stops suddenly due to the impact. If that happens when you are standing up, you will be tossed around like a rag doll. If you are sitting facing the engine, you will be thrown forward out of your seat. If you are sitting with your back to the front of the train, the impact will have the effect of pushing you deeper into your seat. If you are at the rear of the carriage in an accident most flying luggage, etc. should be behind you.
The dynamics of motion mean that any object thrown at the train, along with any shattered glass, will enter the train and tend to fly towards the back, giving risk of injury to those facing the front. Passengers seated with their back to the front of the train will be protected by their seat backs.
Maintain an awareness of what is happening to the train. In many rail accidents surviving passengers have reported that the train seemed to be out of control, or was ‘shaking or rattling’ more than usual. If these are potential warning signs of impending disaster, be aware of them. Due to the state of some of the tracks, not every jolt or rattle will mean that you are about to be involved in an accident. However, if you are on a train and feel something, there is nothing to stop you from bracing yourself against a seat or bulkhead just in case. Move away from windows and doors and adopt a position that will help you survive any accident. If the moment passes then go about your business. If there is an accident, a second or two of forethought and effort could have saved your life.
Robbery and assault
Criminal gangs have been known to attack rail services. They board the train as passengers, and then when the train is between stations and the passengers are helpless, the gang members run through the train assaulting and robbing passengers at will. When the tram pulls into the next station down the line the gang members get off and are gone before anyone can report the crime.
There is also a risk of robbery and assault on platforms and in railway subways. generally later at night. Passengers are also at risk of crimes to their person or to their vehicle in railway station car parks.
Statistically a traveller is unlikely to be the victim of an assault when travelling by train, and women are apparently even less likely to be assaulted when travelling by tram than men. but that is no reason to relax and let your guard down. There are criminals out there, don’t make life easy for them. Every single thing you can do to protect yourself makes you that much less likely to become the target of criminal activity.
Robbery and assault countermeasures
Sitting in the carriage nearest to the driver/guard/inspector offers a little more protection, because they are the representative of authority on a train. A single criminal is likely to look for carriages as far away as possible from these railway employees, to reduce the chances of detection
In all cases, if confronted by violence and aggression remember that nothing is worth risking your life for. Never try to fight robbers, never try to argue with them. They could have been drinking or may be on drugs. If they have, the chances are that they are acting on instinct and are oblivious to the consequences. You can replace a watch and other possessions. There is no point in getting killed or crippled for the sake of a few pounds and the odd credit card. Don’t fight back. Switch to information-gathering mode and remember as much detail as you can. Look at things the robbers touch so you can tell the police where fingerprints might be found. Listen for names, look for tattoos, notice anything unusual and report it to the police. The more evidence they have the greater the chances of the robbers being caught.
Never display valuables in a careless manner. Avoid wearing very expensive jewellery or carelessly waving a wallet or purse stuffed with cash. When paying for tickets or otherwise using cash in public places, be discreet. I like to keep a few pounds out of my wallet and put it ready in my pocket, so that I can buy a ticket or pay for a drink or newspaper without showing criminals that I am a worthy target for their attention.
Keep your luggage nearby where you can see it. Lock your cases and bags. Don’t leave anything valuable in the outer pockets of bags and cases because they cannot be locked. Take extra care of handbags, rucksacks and briefcases that are too easy for a criminal to take as he walks past.
In any attack or assault, shout and scream. Get away from the attacker and head for safety, but remember to stay away from the edge of the platform or carriage doors. Make as much noise as you can to attract attention to get help and scare the attacker off.
When leaving a station, remember to take into consideration the time of day. The path through the park that you used last summer when you visited Aunt Mary may have been safe in mid-afternoon on a summer day, but will it still be and feel as safe in the dark on a winter night? Never use dark, unlit and deserted paths. If in doubt, take the long way round or take a taxi.
While travelling, be aware of CCTV cameras, manned points and push-button enquiry systems. Try to stay in view of the cameras, stand near a member of staff or, if none is present, stand near a push-button enquiry point.
Pickpockets
Pickpockets usually operate in gangs and in crowds. Busy railway stations and carriages give them an excuse to jostle and push up against people. Seasoned commuters are so used to crowded conditions that they rarely take any notice of somebody bumping into them on a busy platform and pickpockets play on that. Though the movies often show pickpockets dipping into pockets and removing wallets, pickpockets today usually target bags worn on the back or over the shoulder. Because they are out of sight of the owner they are particularly vulnerable.
Pickpockets – countermeasures
Don’t give pickpockets a gift – secure your valuables. Make sure bags are zipped and secured. Make sure that your valuables are not stored in those convenient, easy-to-open little pockets. In a crowd, carry your rucksack or bag in front of you or held down by the straps. You will notice if a pickpocket starts feeling around the rucksack.
Tourists in particular should take care. They are generally relaxed and enjoying their holiday, often carrying valuable documents such as passports, quite large sums of money, credit cards, expensive cameras and other items that are interesting to a thief.
Carry purses, chequebooks and credit cards in internal secured pockets. Wrap a wide rubber band around a wallet or purse, which means it won’t easily slide in and out of a pocket or bag. That means that if a pickpocket tries to take it you should feel them pulling to get it out of your pocket as the elastic band snags and catches on the material or bag.
Be suspicious of anyone who seems to be edging unnecessarily closer to you. The train may be crowded and with standing room only, but do they need to come and stand out of your line of sight on the side where you are holding your handbag or rucksack?
While travelling, if you see a theft or any suspicious activity, draw it to the attention of a member of staff as soon as possible.
Children
Travelling while struggling with several suitcases is a nightmare, but travelling with cases and children is worse. At least if you put a briefcase down it should stay where it is. Children can often be curious and adventurous. Many a parent has stopped to show their tickets, then found a child has wandered off while they were talking to the ticket inspector.
The worry of lost luggage, missed connections, delays and cancellations seems immaterial when you consider lost children, dangerous high-speed trains and electrified tracks – not to mention kidnap or worse!
Because the outcome could be particularly traumatic, I have included a few specific tips for travelling with children.
Children – countermeasures
Do not try to make a journey with more children and bags than you can safely cope with, if you have a lot of children, get another adult to help you get them all safely to your destination.
Make sure that all of your children know how dangerous railways, trains, stations and strangers can be. Don’t scare them, but explain the dangers of fast-moving trains, carriage doors being opened, baggage carts driving around, crowds of strangers, etc.
Consider giving each child a brightly coloured plastic wristband with your phone number on it, or pinning a card inside the coat of each child, where the card contains details such as your mobile phone number and proposed rail route. For example, a card may include your mobile phone number, your name, and the fact that you are taking the 10:56 from Waterloo, changing at Reading then onto the 12:34 to Exeter. In that way, staff or police will be able to trace you and your route and should know where you will be (other than at the nearest place you can report a missing child).
The usual lessons for children about talking to or going off with strangers should be reinforced.
Give them a few lessons such as how to use escalators, moving walkways, long staircases, high-capacity lifts, etc. Stress that they should always stay with the group, away from the platform edge, and shout for attention immediately if there is any problem.
General train – countermeasures
There are a few things that you can do to try to reduce the impact of crime or accident on you and your family while travelling by train.
I used to commute with a small leather briefcase. I kept that case on my lap at all times.
It stopped my case being stolen.
It stopped me forgetting it when I got off.
It stopped passengers getting on and off from carelessly gouging my knees with cases, bags and buggies.
I had it in mind that if there was an accident I could raise the case in front of me to protect myself from flying glass or luggage.
When travelling by train, don’t give away personal information.
Don’t carry a suitcase with your full name and home address clearly visible, advertising to criminals that you are not at home.
Don’t hold mobile phone conversations and forget that twenty people around you can hear what you are saying, including any personal information you tell the person on the other end of the phone, such as mobile phone numbers, medical conditions, etc.
If reading company documents, private letters and cards, or looking at information on a laptop computer or hand-held device, remember and realise that the people around you can see the text too
If in doubt, allow an overcrowded service to pass by and wait for the next train. I would rather travel on a later train in comfort than stand nose to armpit all the way to my destination.
If at all possible pre-plan your journey, especially if you are travelling to a town or station that you have never used before. Consider calling that station and asking for advice. Tell them what train you will arrive on, and where you want to go. They should be able to tell you how to get there even if it means transferring to another train on a different platform. Remember some of the bigger stations have a maze of subways, bridges, exits and entrances, some linking to bus or tube stations, some giving direct access to streets and pedestrian precincts. If station staff can tell you to ‘use the steps in the middle of the platform, turn right at the top, leave the station by the south exit and turn left to the taxi rank’, you will be more confident, comfortable and therefore less likely to be targeted by criminals.
Be comfortable when travelling. Stiletto heels and tight skirts may be highly fashionable, but they make coping with escalators, and climbing into and getting out of carriages difficult if not impossible. Add a large case and 2 minutes to make your connection because a service is running late and you will really wish you had chosen to wear jeans and trainers!
Underground Trains
The main risks associated with underground trains are similar to those for surface trains. They are accident, assault, theft and terrorist attacks, so the train advice given above is applicable to underground trains too. However, there are a few specific problems that might be encountered on the underground services.
Accident
While rail accidents tend to be serious, underground accidents are infinitely worse, because the site of the accident is often so inaccessible. Fire or other incidents on a train in the tunnels is almost guaranteed to lead to fatalities. The tunnels and escalators act like chimneys drawing heat, smoke and flames to upper levels. Trains pushing fresh air through the tunnels constantly feed oxygen into the base of the fire, while emergency crews have difficulty approaching the fire because they have to come down through the very flames and smoke they have been sent to extinguish. Passenger unfamiliarity with the tunnels, poor signposting and lack of staff will all tend to make a tube fire infinitely worse than a surface fire, because there is no simple emergency exit door you can open to leave the scene and reach cold fresh air.
Newer trains have a functional public address system and some are fitted with electronic displays through which the driver or guard can pass information to passengers. Ordinarily these systems are used to announce the arrival at a given station, or declare that an escalator is out of use, but in an emergency they can quickly and efficiently pass on life-saving information to passengers.
Robbery
Criminal gangs have also been known to attack underground services. As with surface trains, they can run through the train assaulting and robbing passengers at will. When the train pulls into the next station the gang members get off and are gone in a maze of tunnels and different lines before anyone can report the crime. Though police are targeting these criminals and CCTV coverage is improving, there are limited resources. Pickpockets also operate on the crowded commuter services, freely helping themselves to wallets and purses in overcrowded carriages.
Platform falls
There is also a risk associated with falling off the platform in front of a train, or onto the live electric rail. When stations become dangerously overcrowded, staff will close them. Closing the station stops more people coming onto the crowded platform. but that still leaves the early arrivals on dangerously overcrowded platforms.
It would be easy for somebody at the back of a platform to trip and push into somebody, initiating a wave of movement and pressure that could push somebody at the front of the platform off the edge and onto the track. Unfortunately it has been known for drunks, people in a drugged state or the mentally ill to deliberately push people onto the track.
General underground – countermeasures
When travelling by underground trains your health and safety are in the hands of the employees of the railway companies. Adopt the same countermeasures that you would use for surface trains and add a few specific to the underground,
If an underground service is packed to the point where people are pinned to the carriage doors by the crush inside, don’t even try to get on. I will always travel over ground if given any choice because I think that buses are cheap and a lot more civilised than underground trains.
Check the distance from your starting point to your destination station. Though the distance between two points on an underground map looks like a long way they are in fact often within easy walking distance.
If at all possible, keep well away from the platform edge. If you tripped you could fall onto the track, if somebody else trips they could push you onto the track, and there is always the possibility that somebody could push you onto the track deliberately. If the platform is so crowded that the only free space is on the platform edge, leave the station and find another way to get to your destination.
Always try to be aware of signposts. Know where the nearest exit is, and know where the exit to an alternative line is. If there is an announcement telling you to head for an exit or a different line. try to make sure you can immediately start moving in that direction without having to stop and look around to see where you should be going.
Buses and Coaches
The main risks associated with bus travel are accident, assault and theft, and possible terrorist attacks.
Accident
Though there is a range of legislation and regulations associated with the standard and quality of the maintenance of public service vehicles, mistakes are made. The simple dynamics of an accident are that the occupants of the largest vehicle involved in an accident are better protected and suffer fewer injuries than people in a smaller vehicle. As buses and coaches are so big, they tend to suffer least in accidents with cars and vans. However, in an accident involving a lorry, the bus or coach will come off worst.
Protection. Modern cars are designed to have a rigid passenger compartment, which is engineered to protect the driver and passengers. Buses and coaches were engineered with commercial principles in mind.
Light construction meant that there was less weight to carry around and so a vehicle used less fuel. Larger window areas allowed the passengers to have a better view during the trip and so attracted more passengers.
All of these matters legitimately maximised profits, but weakened the structure, leaving passengers open to death and serious injury resulting from even minor accidents. Modern coaches use modern materials and engineering to combine strength with good passenger views.
Seat belts. Older coaches do not have passenger seat belts. Major accidents have resulted in a review of coach and bus safety, but the improvements are only now appearing. New-generation buses and coaches have safety cages, reinforced body frames and seat belts, but thousands of older-generation buses and coaches are still on the road and will be for years to come.
Upper deck dangers. Double-deck buses have been known to leave their designated route then try to pass under low bridges or drive under low trees, with devastating and potentially fatal results to top-deck passengers.
Robbery. Criminals have been known to target bus passengers and crews. They often operate in gangs who board a bus at a carefully selected stop and intimidate the crew and passengers. They steal everything they can and then jump off the bus at the next junction or stop. Criminals have been known to resort to unnecessary violence, for example stabbing passengers who were no threat to them.
Traffic risk. Passengers on the old open platform double-deck buses have been known to jump off the bus between stops and be hit by a car.
Bus and coach – countermeasures
The countermeasures to avoid risks associated with bus travel are simple and cost nothing.
Before booking a seat for a bus or coach journey I enquire about the age of their fleet, company safety records, if seat belts are fitted and if the driver knows the route. If the company is unwilling to answer those questions, I assume they have something to hide and I will not travel with them. If they answer and the fleet is quite new and seat belts are fitted I will consider booking seats with that company.
Where I am being asked to approve a children’s school trip, I will do so only if I get satisfactory answers to my questions. If I don’t get an answer, or if there are any safety problems, I refuse to approve the trip and urge other parents to do the same. Schools should ONLY ever use the best and safest coach and bus companies. Insist that the school or coach company confirms in writing that:
I make a point of never travelling on the upper deck. Roadworks, road closures due to flooding or accidents, and drivers unfamiliar with routes mean that off-route diversions are likely. That means that upper-deck passengers are more likely to be faced with unexpected and unnoticed low bridges and low branches.
On single crewed buses, the only crewman is the driver-operator who has to be on the lower deck. Many buses now have an attack alarm system installed so that the driver can quickly summon assistance. Criminals tend to go to the upper deck where they can work unseen by the driver. For that reason, you may choose to travel on the lower deck, which will put you as far away from the criminals as you can get. If they do come to the lower deck, they are in running mode and the temptation of an open door and escape is usually greater than the temptation to stay and rob or assault lower-deck passengers.
To avoid accidents associated with falls on buses, or accidents while getting on or off buses, use your common sense. If you can, sit down when on a bus. If you have to stand, use the handrails that are provided to steady yourself. If you want to get off a bus, ring the bell, then wait for the bus to stop before you stand – especially if you are elderly, injured or infirm. Finally, only ever get on or off a bus at an approved bus stop. In that way you will never be exposed to other vehicles.
Don’t use remote bus stops if you can avoid it, especially after dark. You don’t want to be standing alone at night on some country road, waiting and hoping for a bus to come.
Tram/trolley
The tram and trolley bus system is making an urban comeback. As a cost-effective method of moving people it has been rediscovered, along with environmental benefits. Tram systems are often electrically operated, reducing or eliminating noxious fumes and emissions. However, they also bring their own unique hazards. The main risk associated with tram travel is accidental collision.
Accidental collision. Trams and trolleys usually operate on a rail system, similar to those used by trains. Unlike trains, the tram rails are laid in and along and beside public roads. The risk and threat comes from several different sources.
Trams cannot swerve to avoid an accident. Most car drivers don’t realise how much they drift from lane to lane, and how much other car drivers accommodate their bad habit by avoiding them. When a car or van driver drifts into the path of a tram, a collision is almost inevitable because the tram driver simply cannot swerve to avoid them.
Finally, because trams and vehicles co-exist on city streets, it is not unknown for tram passengers to be knocked down by other vehicles when they are attempting to board or leave trams.
Tram/trolley – countermeasures
Countermeasures that will help you avoid injury involving trams and trolleybuses are easy to specify but hard to enact.
When driving in an area where trams and trolleybuses are operating, you must be particularly careful of your lane discipline. Maintain total positional awareness at all times so that you can safely negotiate traffic and trams. (Positional awareness and lane discipline are skills you should work on when driving in traffic anyway.)
- You should also realise that trams can run quite silently, so motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians must use their eyes to make sure that they do not stray into the path of a tram.
- When driving in an area where trams are operating, or when using a tram or trolleybus, passengers should take exceptional care when boarding or alighting. Remind yourself constantly that traffic is often flowing all around a tram, which makes stepping off or running to get on a tram a particularly hazardous operation. Before you get off a tram, and when you are thinking of going to get on one, force yourself to think about the traffic hazards.
Ferry
Few people travel by ferry now, and even fewer do so regularly. That makes a ferry particularly dangerous because the chances are that on any given day most of the passengers will be unfamiliar with the ferry’s operation. The main risks associated with ferry travel are accident and subsequent drowning.
Accident. Ferries operate over substantial bodies of water, where the presence of deep water, currents and tides are major hazards. Passengers and vehicles boarding a ferry will have to negotiate the hazards associated with docks and jetties. Lack of familiarity with the whole process, location and operation make it even more dangerous for the average person. Being directed along docks and down metal ramps into the vehicle deck of a ferry can be scary in itself Though they usually erect safety barriers to prevent it. human error and a confused driver can easily see a car take a plunge into deep water.
Then there is the risk that the terry itself could be involved in a fire or other accident. Ferries have been holed and sunk, and have capsized after collisions and car-deck flooding. Even though there will be no trouble for a thousand trips. you have to be ready for that one time when there is a disaster. By remaining alert and being familiar with emergency equipment and procedures you could turn a potential disaster into a mere problem, as well as saving your life and the lives of other passengers.
Protection. UK ferries operate within strict rules. They are required to carry lifejackcts, ratts, tire-fighting equipment, etc. All members of the crew should also be familiar with the use and deployment of all safety equipment and should take problems seriously and professionally.
Abroad it is very different. If I boarded a ferry where there were problems, for example if crew members couldn’t speak English, or they appeared to be less than competent or ignoring their duties, I would leave the ferry and report my observations to the authorities.
Ferry – countermeasures
In any unfamiliar environment take extra care to make sure that you do what is expected and required of you.
When in any unfamiliar or potentially hazardous location, you should make strenuous efforts to follow all of the rules and regulations that are imposed for safety and management purposes.
Identify and comply with all signs, e.g. no smoking, keep left, no entry, etc.
If booking ahead there is no need to be paranoid about these matters, but while asking about availability and fares there is nothing to stop you asking about safety matters. If more people do ask about life belts and rafts, operators will realise that safety is a significant concern to a growing number of people.
On boarding a ferry, see what your impression is of the operation. If the captain is drunk and the crew are sitting playing cards, or if the boarding ramp seems to be held together with string, get off and report it.
If the crew and boat appear to be in order, I usually seek out the emergency equipment. If I have time to kill while crossing the water, I may as well spend it looking for the life belts or lifeboats. I’d rather kill time when I first use a ferry, than kill myself because I didn’t know where the life belts were in an emergency.
Transport: Safety Demonstrations and Cards
Be aware that when you travel you are in unfamiliar surroundings and your unfamiliarity with those surroundings makes them that much more dangerous to you. If you know a venue and know your way around it, you will be more comfortable, more confident, happier and safer. You will know where the toilets are, where the lifts are and more importantly where the exits, ramps and stairs are. At the same venue, a stranger will be lost, they will have to follow the crowd or aim for different signposted facilities. Their unfamiliarity with it makes the venue that much less safe for the stranger.
Be alert to unfamiliar dangers such as escalators and moving walkways. Don’t trip over carelessly placed luggage. Look out for hazards such as ride-on motorised cleaning machines or luggage trains that may be moving around in a large terminal or port.
If there are safety notices, take the time to read them. Take the opportunity to double check your tickets and travel documents while in the queue, be informed and be safe. Don’t flash that wad of cash or traveller’s cheques – your fellow travellers or others around you may be criminals.
When you eventually board your aircraft or ship or train, listen to the safety announcements. Watch the safety video, the demonstrations of available exits and any demonstrations of such things as lifejackets. Ignoring them could kill you!
Not too many years ago a small airliner crashed into the sea, broke up and sank. Passengers had been advised during their pre-flight safety briefing that in the event of a water landing they should put their lifejackets on but not inflate them until they were in the water and well clear of the plane. This message was repeated when the emergency was declared, but a lot of passengers took one look at the water beneath them and inflated their lifejackets while still strapped in their seats. When the aircraft began sinking, fewer than half of the passengers managed to get out even though it was so close they could almost have walked to shore. They drowned because they inflated their lifejackets and were so cumbersome that they were unable to escape from the sinking aircraft. Those who made it outside and inflated their lifejackets as instructed were rescued.
Safety demonstrations – countermeasures
Always familiarise yourself with the position of your seat, and the location of the nearest and alternative exits.
Always listen to and understand any safety advice given. If you don’t understand – ask!
If you are sitting in a seat at an exit door, make sure that you read and understand the instructions. You may be required to open the door in an emergency.
If you think there is a problem, like flames coming from the engine on the left wing or smoke coming from the toilet, quietly and urgently bring it to the attention of a member of staff.
If there is an incident, obey any instructions the staff or members of the crew give to you. Act immediately and don’t try to take any valuables, bags or luggage with you if and when ordered to exit.
By all means assist other members of your family or party, but don’t needlessly disrupt any evacuation.
